Tornadoes and Such
I am sitting in the hall of McKinzie dorm. We are under a tornado warning. I wonder what the homeless do in a tornado warning.
I have been thinking quite a bit of how to engage in the world of poverty. Living in the Christian bubble sometimes causes me to forget that the poor exist and are in fact all around me. In the neighborhood right across from the school, under the bridge a few blocks away and at the stops signs by wal-mart.
Saturday I went out to a community park that is located in "the ghetto" or one of the ghettos in Abilene. A friend and I took the hall's grill out there to cook burgers and play basketball with whoever was out there. We found ourselves with predominately two types of people. The first were children who said that they come out there everyday. Although there parents care very much for them in many cases, they must work and have no way of providing any kind of care. They were more than happy to see some new faces. I had a wonderful time playing with Malaysia, Diamond, Anthony, Owen, Trey and all of the others, but it was interesting how cool they commented on the other crowd that was at the park. They really like the cars and loud speaker systems of those who sat in the parking lot with cars in a circle and most likely all a part of a gang. I offered them burgers as well and they too were very appreciative of the offer however left before we finished lunch.
I never engaged in lower income people's lives in high school, which is something I regret. The experiences I did have with guys on my basketball team were wonderful and I gained a lot from those experiences.
One of the challenges Brad and I gave to the youth group over the retreat was to engage in people's lives that are normally overlooked or made outcasts by society. I wonder if they will be able to see, as I did not, the dozens of God's kids across the street from the church in Round Rock.
May we ever seek ways in helping those who are in need - emotionally, physically and spiritually.
I have been thinking quite a bit of how to engage in the world of poverty. Living in the Christian bubble sometimes causes me to forget that the poor exist and are in fact all around me. In the neighborhood right across from the school, under the bridge a few blocks away and at the stops signs by wal-mart.
Saturday I went out to a community park that is located in "the ghetto" or one of the ghettos in Abilene. A friend and I took the hall's grill out there to cook burgers and play basketball with whoever was out there. We found ourselves with predominately two types of people. The first were children who said that they come out there everyday. Although there parents care very much for them in many cases, they must work and have no way of providing any kind of care. They were more than happy to see some new faces. I had a wonderful time playing with Malaysia, Diamond, Anthony, Owen, Trey and all of the others, but it was interesting how cool they commented on the other crowd that was at the park. They really like the cars and loud speaker systems of those who sat in the parking lot with cars in a circle and most likely all a part of a gang. I offered them burgers as well and they too were very appreciative of the offer however left before we finished lunch.
I never engaged in lower income people's lives in high school, which is something I regret. The experiences I did have with guys on my basketball team were wonderful and I gained a lot from those experiences.
One of the challenges Brad and I gave to the youth group over the retreat was to engage in people's lives that are normally overlooked or made outcasts by society. I wonder if they will be able to see, as I did not, the dozens of God's kids across the street from the church in Round Rock.
May we ever seek ways in helping those who are in need - emotionally, physically and spiritually.
posted by Heath at 8:03 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home